Usopp's Bravery
by Smudgeandfrank
Summary: When Sanji is wounded and Nami is captured Usopp is the only one who can save her. Usopp has to push asside his fear and protect his nakama with his life in a race against time. Please review!


"How many groceries could that shity cook need to buy?" Zoro growled as he leaned against the railing of Sunny Go. Luffy was sprawled out on top of Sunny's head as his stomach growled like a ferocious beast.

"Ohhhhh… Sanji! I'm hungry!" Luffy moaned as he watched the local buyers run from shop to shop with bags in hand. Sanji and Nami had gone into the town together to get food and supplies but had now been gone for many hours, as the crew became restless. Franky was below deck, busily repairing the Sunny Go's many machines, while Brook sat on deck, sipping a cup of tea, as he watched for their nakama to return.

Chopper paced the turf on the ship as he tried to keep calm and his heart raced. He had a feeling that something wasn't right. Tears filled his eyes as he whimpered, "Nami… Sanji…" Robin sat under an umbrella as she read a book that lay open on her lap. She would finish a page but then forget what it had explained and would later flip the page back and look over the words again.

Usopp suddenly came on deck as he rubbed oil from his face that had splattered all over him as he worked on a new weapon and pushed his goggles up from his eyes. He sighed as he looked at his nakama. "They still haven't come back?" Usopp asked as Chopper shook his head. Usopp noticed that the sun was beginning to set as he started to worry about Sanji and Nami. He walked over to Luffy and leaned against the ship's railing. "What are we gonna do Luffy?" Luffy sat up and pushed his hat onto his head and smacked his hand on his leg as if he had made a very tough decision.

"We're going to go and find them!" The crew looked over at him as Zoro sighed with frustration. He stood up from the floor and grabbed his katanas that he slipped into his belt. Luffy jumped onto the deck with a thump as he punched into the palm of his hand. "Robin! Brook! Franky! Chopper! You guys stay with the ship! Zoro! Usopp! You guys are with me!" Usopp froze as he laughed at his captain.

"You're joking right? Me? Come with you two? Hah!" Luffy looked at him with a small expression of confusion as Usopp realized that Luffy really wanted him to come to find their nakama. "W-w-why ME?!" Luffy chuckled with his huge smile as he gave Usopp a thumb up.

"We need a lot of people to stay with the ship incase something happens and we need to get out of here quick! And besides, we'll need your help Usopp! Let's go!" With that Luffy jumped off of the ship and hurried into town without any idea of where he was going. Zoro quickly followed, telling him to wait up as the two of them disappeared into the crowd with Usopp behind. Almost instantly the swords man and the captain disappeared.

Usopp sighed as he looked around at all of the people that wandered the streets of the busy town. "I guess I'll try to find them myself." Usopp walked for hours, looking in every shop before walking back into the mass of people.

The sun had just about set when Usopp sat on a bench. All of the people had turned in for the night and all of the shops had closed. Usopp rubbed his neck and looked up at the pink and orange sky. "Nami… Sanji… Where are you?" He wondered where Zoro and Luffy had disappeared to as he worried about the two of them on a foreign island. Neither one of them had any sense of direction. Should he be more worried about THEM than Nami and Sanji? He shook his head and stood up to look around the area. There were many roads and paths that passed him, but in the shadows they became more menacing. Usopp trembled slightly when he heard a strange voice call for him.

"U-Usopp…" Usopp spun around with his kabuto ready but didn't see anyone. The voice came again as a figure crawled out from the shadows of an alley. Blood trickled onto the ground as the figure struggled to move. Usopp stood shocked as he let his kabuto fall to the ground. Before him was Sanji. Covered in blood, on his hands and knees. Sanji fell onto his chest as Usopp rushed over to him.

"Oh god! Sanji! Oi!! Sanji!!! Hang in there!!!! OI!!" Sanji's eyes were closed as Usopp turned him over. He had been shot once in the middle of his chest and twice in his legs. Usopp panicked as he watched the blood cover the ground and his hand. "Oi! Sanji!! Wake up! What happened?!! Where's Na--!!" Suddenly Sanji's hand grabbed Usopp by the collar of his shirt and looked up at him with tears in his eyes.

"Usopp! They took her!! They- *hack* they took Nami!!!" Usopp froze as he looked at Sanji and stuttered.

"Wha? What are you talking about Sanji?!" Usopp shook his head and knew that if Sanji kept talking he might start bleeding internally. Some helpful advice from Chopper. "Just stay still Sanji! I've gotta get you ba--!" Sanji pulled Usopp's shirt closer as he winced and struggled to breathe.

"I don't care *cough* what happens to me! You've- you've gotta find Nami-sa- *HACK*" Sanji's body went limp as he fell to the ground into a pool of his own blood.

"SANJI!" Usopp sat silently as he looked down at his wounded nakama. Sanji didn't care if he died. All he wanted was Nami to be safe. Usopp clenched his fists as he put his hand on Sanji's shoulder. "Who did this to you? Who took Nami Sanji?!" Sanji struggled to stay conscious as he looked down the street.

"They were… two bit bounty hunters! There was… a group of them! They shot me and grabbed Nami-san and ran down that street into the crowd!!" Usopp looked in the direction of Sanji's stare. Sanji began to sob as he tried to speak. "They- they took her! They left me because… because they didn't recognize me from- from the wanted posters! Those BASTARDS TOOK NAMI AND… and… IT'S MY FAULT!! I-I-- *cough*!!" Sanji laid his arm over his eye as he continued to sob through his coughs and the pain that streamed through his body. Usopp had never seen Sanji cry like that as his rage only grew. Nami was gone… And Sanji felt responsible for it. _Those BASTARDS!_ He thought as he closed his eyes and clenched his teeth together to the point where blood trickled down his lip. He could see Nami's face. Smiling back at him, with her clima tact in hand.

Usopp suddenly took Sanji's hand in his fist and gripped it sternly. Sanji was surprised as he looked up at Usopp. "This wasn't your fault Sanji!" His eyes were serious and angry as he gripped his nakama's hand. "I promise you Sanji… I PROMISE YOU, I'm going to find Nami!" Sanji was silent for a moment when he smiled slightly and let his head relax on the ground.

"Aregatou… Usopp…" Sanji's eyes closed as he passed out and his body fell limp. Usopp laid Sanji's hand on his chest and stood from the ground. He grabbed his kabuto and realized that he had a clear view of the ship in the distance. He grabbed a piece of paper and a pen from his bag and wrote, _**SANJI NEEDS HELP! COME TO THE**__**LOCATION BELOW THE RED FLARE! HURRY! ~USOPP. **_He tied it to a dart that he had made to play a game with Luffy and Chopper and then loaded it into the bands of his kabuto. He pulled his goggles over his eyes as he carefully aimed it at the mast next to where Chopper was sitting and fired it. It struck perfectly as he watched Chopper jump before pulling I from the wood and reading the paper with a terrified face.

Usopp pulled back the straps of the kabuto and sent a large red flare into the darkening sky. He looked back at the ship to see if the others had seen it when he saw Chopper and Robin quickly leave the boat and start to make their way to the flare. Usopp nodded with approval as he turned back to Sanji and looked down the street where the bounty hunters had supposedly taken Nami. He stood still for a split second before breaking into a full speed sprint down the road without looking back. "Sanji! Hang in there! And Nami… I'M COMING FOR YOU!!!!"

~*~

Robin and Chopper raced through the streets until they finally came to the street where Usopp had shot his flare. They looked around as they wondered where Sanji was when Robin gasped. Chopper looked up at her and saw her face change to horror. "What is it Robi--!" Chopper looked over and saw Sanji lying on the ground in a pool of blood. "SANJI!!!!" The two of them rushed to his side as Chopper franticly looked at his wounds. They tried to waken him but Sanji's eye stayed closed. Chopper pulled bandages and a pair of tweezers out of his bag. Chopper pulled the bullets from Sanji's body and quickly applied the bandages and medicine.

Robin looked around for Usopp but found that he was nowhere in sight. She looked on the ground where she found a pachinko from Usopp's bag. She picked it up and looked down the road, wondering where he had gone, and why he didn't stay with Sanji. And also where were Luffy and Zoro? And where was Nami?! Chopper whimpered as he tried to get Sanji to wake up. "Sanji! Who did this Sanji? Wake up!" He knew it was no use as he pulled a rumble ball from his bag and bit down on it. "Rumble!"

He transformed into his Horn Point and turned to Robin. "We have to get Sanji back to the ship! He won't make it if I don't give him more medicine!" Robin nodded as she picked Sanji up from the ground. She laid him carefully on the Reindeer's back and looked over at the street again. "Robin!" Robin nodded again as they booth ran back to the ship. _Usopp… What are you…?,_ she thought to herself as a sudden gust of wind blew her hair to the ship.

~*~

Usopp's feet ached as he rushed through the darkness of the woods. He had traveled down the road for a long time when he had come to a large forest at the edge of town. He didn't know where to look when he saw a something shimmering in the moonlight on a small trail leading into the trees. He walked over to it and found Nami's Eternal Pose. He was relieved to know that he was on the right track and yet he was worried about Nami. He took the pose and put it around his wrist for luck before rushing into the thick forest. Sweat ran down his face as he continued down the dirt path. He could see footprints left in the dirt as he trampled over them. He had been running for 2 hours and his legs were beginning to tire, but he refused to slow down. His breathing was shallow as he panted and looked all around for his nakama.

He suddenly began hearing voices as he quickly stopped and ran to take cover behind a tree. He held his breath as two figures walked down the path, back towards the town. Usopp couldn't see them in the feint light as he sat silently, holding his mouth and nose, as they passed. "Man, she was a handful!" One man said.

"No kidding! I think she actually broke that guy's nose! And that weapon was so weird!" The two of them stopped as Usopp struggled to hold his breath. "At least we'll get the money for 'er when the marines are through with 'er. Nami… She sure was hot! HAHAHA!!" Usopp uncovered his mouth and looked blankly into the shadows in front of him. His fury could no longer be held back as he heard them talk about Nami like an animal devoid of thought. He stood up with his hand tightly gripping his kabuto as he prepared for his attack. He walked out from behind the tree to face the men who jumped with surprise. "Who-who the hell are you?!" Usopp released his kabuto and sent an exploding star at one of the men when it hit him with a large explosion. The other stood stunned when Usopp tackled him and grabbed him by his shirt.

The man hit with the exploding star was knocked unconscious as Usopp held the other on the ground. "WHERE IS SHE?!" Usopp demanded as held his kabuto with his free hand and pulled the strap back with his teeth. He aimed the pachinko sack at the man who struggled to get away.

"Wha-what are you talking about?! I don't know---!!!"

"NAMI!!! WHERE IS NAMI?!!!" The man shook as Usopp pulled the slingshot back tighter and aimed the weapon straight for his face.

"SHE'S DOWN THAT WAY!!" He pointed down the path and closed his eyes. "There's a marine prison down there!!! Our group took her there and then we split up for the day!!! PLEASE!! DON'T KILL ME!!" Usopp let go of the man's shirt and stood up before turning towards the direction the man had pointed. Usopp panted as he tried to calm down. He looked down at the man who had suddenly pulled out a gun and was about to fire it through Usopp's head. Usopp shot the rifle out of his hands in a split second with his kabuto as the man on the ground shook. He believed his life was over but Usopp turned away.

"I'm not gonna kill you… Bastard." And with that raced down the path and into the night. The man sat petrified as his partner slowly woke up and rubbed his chest where the weapon had hit him.

"What's with you man?! Where did that guy go?!" The other man sat silently as he looked blankly into the shadows, knowing his life had been spared. Usopp ran full speed through the forest thinking about Nami, and preying that she was okay. He was terrified. He almost didn't have the courage to stand up to the men who had captured his nakama and now he would have to face an entire prison of marines! His legs started to shake as he hurried down the path but then he looked down at Nami's pose. _No way. I'm not going to be scared anymore! I have to be brave! _He thought about Sanji lying on the floor, sobbing because he wasn't able to save Nami.

His fingers had dug into his palms, making them bleed as tears filled his eyes. _Sanji had done everything he could to keep her safe, but those men still took Nami! … Nami… _Usopp stopped as he gasped for air and looked at the pose. He saw Nami at the helm checking the pose and tapping it lightly before looking up at him. "_What is it Usopp?"_ Usopp rubbed the tears from his face and then looked up the path. "I'm coming Nami!" He began to run down the path again. He smiled a little as he thought about being brave and said, "Don't worry! The brave CAPTAIN USOPP won't fail!"

~*~

Nami opened her eyes as her back throbbed. She was lying on a stone floor in some sort of cell and her hands and feet were cuffed together. She could hear feint voices as the moon shone through a small window in the wall. Nami sat up and looked around. Her Clima Tact was gone, along with her eternal pose that fell off in the forest. The room she was in was very dark and there were bars between her and another cell. Nami began to panic. _Where am I? What going on?! I know those guys captured me but what am I doing HERE?! _She took a deep breath, trying to keep calm as she relaxed against the wall. Suddenly a voice came from the cell next to her. "Are ya nervous?" Nami just about screamed as she jumped and looked over through the bars of the cell. There was a younger man with brown rugged hair leaning against the same wall as she was.

"It's about time you woke up!" The man said as he looked over at her. "You're in a marine prison if you don't know." Nami looked at the man with surprise at his calm tone.

"A marine prison!?" The men nodded as he looked at the ceiling and then back to Nami.

"My name's Goriah. What's yours?" Nami didn't know if she should answer or just ignore him, but found that talking to anyone may help ease her fear.

"My name's Nami." Goriah looked at her with surprise.

"Nami? The Straw-Hat pirate NAMI?" Nami smiled and nodded as the man chuckled. "Wow! Never thought I'd meet one of you big shots! So… the bounty hunters around here caught ya huh?" Nami looked down and nodded with a sigh but then let her head rest of the wall behind her.

"But I'm not worried!" Nami sighed as Goriah looked at her with amazement.

"Why the heck not?! You're in a MARINE prison! And you're a pirate!"

"Well… I KNOW my nakama are going to save me!" Goriah looked at her for a moment and looked down at the ground. "Those guys… they always seem to come and find me when I'm in trouble! They'll come!" Goriah shook his head sadly and then looked up at Nami.

"You don't WANT them to save you." Nami looked over at Goriah with confusion as she tried to understand why she wouldn't want them to save her. She could see tears forming in Goriah's eyes as he looked down at his legs. "My nakama came to save me… not to long ago… and all of them… ALL of them… were killed." Nami was shocked as she listened to the man next to her. "I was captured by bounty hunters in the town and my crew came to free me. They were given no mercy. Even my best friend… they killed him right in front of me." Nami swallowed fearfully as Goriah bit his lips and tears rolled down his face and onto the cell floor. "I wouldn't want you to go through that… No one should…" Nami backed up against the wall as her heart began to beat rapidly. She thought about seeing her nakama being killed right before her eyes as tears blurred her vision. If they were to come and free her… they could be killed! They could… Nami buried her face in her legs and cried as she shook. She didn't want to die… but for her nakama to die because of her? She wouldn't let that happen.

She preyed that they would not come looking for her as she though about each of her nakama. She thought about all of the memories they had shared as she gave a feint smile. They had all been family to her and now… now she wondered if they would ever meet again. Nami rubbed her eyes on her shoulder and then looked into the shadows of her cell. She thought hard about the position she was in as she thought about Sanji being shot for trying to protect her. She hoped that he was okay as she looked over to Goriah. "I'm not afraid to die." She said to him as he gave her a reassuring smile.

"Maybe your right. Maybe your nakama will come and save you. They sound a lot stronger as far as power goes than we were."

~*~

Usopp stopped when he came to a large staircase that led down to a large building surrounded by lights and marines. Usopp took a step back and hid behind a tree. He put his goggles on and looked down at the prison and studied it closely. There were tons of guards that made his legs shake but he was able to find the prison cells just past marines. He could see small windows, but they were too small to peer inside of the cells. He would have to guess where to find Nami. He took a deep breath and exhaled quietly as he took out the gadget he always used to use when he would leave the tree at Kaya's mansion and attached it to the limb of a tree. There was a steep drop that went down to the grounds just outside of the prison that he scaled down silently. He fell lightly on the ground and then looked over to the prison before cutting the rope. He tip toed closer and found that the wall to get into the prison was even higher than he had thought. He tried to come up with an idea when he spotted a guard up in a look out post.

_Yosh… If I can knock that guy out, it would create a distraction! And then I can get in!_ Usopp took out his kabuto and aimed at the guard that watched over the walls of the prison. Usopp whispered, "Hissatsu… Kayakeboshi!" And released the pachinko that went flying up to the tower, hitting the man with a large explosion. Immediately the rest of the marines hurried to see what had happened. Usopp chuckled as he quickly ran to the wall and launched his grapple belt onto the top of the wall. He climbed it as fast as he could and then jumped down after he was able to get over it. Luckily, his plan worked and the coast was clear when he landed on the ground and raced to the cell building.

He opened the door to find two guards coming full speed at him. They were on their way to figure out what had happened outside when Usopp arrived. They stood there looking at the long nose with confusion for a moment but then realized that he was the enemy. The two guards took out their guns and were able to fire three shots at Usopp that just missed his head when Usopp took his hammer from his bag and fearfully pounded them both across the head. "USOPP HAMMER!" After they were knocked out Usopp sighed and continued down a long hallway with cells on each side. Usopp winced as he realized that one of the bullets had hit him in the leg but he continued his search for Nami. He looked frantically into each cell but was unable to find her on the first floor. He raced down the stairs to the second floor but found seven more soldiers had heard the commotion and were now blocking his way.

"FREEZE PIRATE!" Each of them had a gun pointed at him as Usopp shook. He aimed his kabuto at the marines but knew that he could not beat all of them at once. They started to approach him slowly when Usopp quickly reached into his bag and threw a smoke star onto the floor, creating a wall of smoke. However the marines had already fired and four of the bullets struck Usopp in his right arm, his left leg, his stomach, and his shoulder. He cried out and stumbled but didn't stop. He knew that if he was going to save Nami, he would have to be prepared to take every bit of pain he could handle.

He hurried through the smoke, hitting them each with the hammer or an explosion star until the fog lifted and Usopp found them all lying on the ground. Their wounds were apparent but Usopp hurried over them and proceeded down the hall. He found that farther down there was a small table with Nami's Clima Tact on it. Usopp snatched it quickly as he shoved it in his bag and looked around the hall. He called into each cell frantically.

"Nami! Nami!! NAMI!!!" Usopp cried, Suddenly a voice cam from one of the cells.

"Usopp? USOPP!? IS THAT YOU?!?!" Usopp stopped and smiled as he followed the voice to a cell not far down the hall. He rushed down the hall when he looked through the bars of one of the cells. Nami was sitting there, tears in her eyes. Usopp had found her! "USOPP!!" She cried.

"NAMI!!" Usopp held the bars and pressed his face against them with a huge smile. His nose stuck into the cage as Nami leaned her forehead against the bars as she laughed and cried.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU FOUND ME!! USOPP!!" Usopp laughed as he rubbed at his eyes and laughed.

"Hey! D-did you think I wasn't gonna fi- *hack*!!!" Suddenly Usopp gripped his stomach and bent over as blood came out of his mouth. Nami noticed the bullet wounds that he had and saw that one was lodged in his stomach.

"Oh my- USOPP!! Are you okay!?" Usopp didn't answer as he struggled to breath and keep himself for passing out. The adrenaline he had during the fight must have worn off, and now his wounds were taking their toll. Goriah leaned against the cell bars and looked at Nami's nakama.

"Oi! OI! Are-are you okay?!"

"USOPP!!!" Usopp coughed again as his blood dripped onto the floor and his eyes started to close. Suddenly he smacked his hand down on the ground and put the other in his bag. He looked through his sack intensely as his hand searched for a weapon he could use to break Nami out.

"Don't worry! I'm not gonna *cough* die." After searching for a moment he was able to find a shell that twisted strangely and had a button on the back. "There we go!" He said as he gasped for breath and then weakly stood up.

"Usopp! Is that the impact dial?!" Nami asked as Goraih looked at her nakama with surprise.

"Yeah. It's… the only way I can get both of you out of here." Usopp slipped it over his hand before feeling for a weak spot in the cells. Goriah stuttered.

"BOTH of us?!" Nami looked up at Usopp with a smile as he smiled back.

"Sure. Why leave a person behind?… Now you guys stand back--!"

"HOLD IT!!!" Another voice called out down the hall as the three pirates looked to see whom it was. Down the hall was a tall man with a large musket pointed at Usopp. Goriah sat silently as he examined the man until he realized that he was the marine who had killed his nakama right in front of him.

"YOU??!!!!" Goriah screamed as the man laughed sinisterly.

"That is right, CAPTAIN GORIAH. I remember you and your futile nakama. He was pleading for your life when he should have pleading for his own." The man looked darkly at Usopp who stood on shaky legs as he swayed weakly back and forth, blood flowing down his body. "So, this is the Straw-Hat Usopp. Come to save your nakama have you? Well I'm sorry to say, that won't be happening." The man shut one eye and cocked his gun as Nami watched, terrified.

"Stop… STOP!!! DON'T!!!!!! LEAVE HIM ALONE!!!!!!" Nami screamed, as the man began to put pressure on the trigger of the musket. Usopp could barely see as his vision began to cloud over but listened to Nami scream. He couldn't move. The marine laughed as the pressure increased up to the very last second.

"Say good bye to your precious 'nakama'!" With that the man fired the gun and the bullet flew through Usopp's chest.

"**USOPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!**" Nami screamed as blood shot out from Usopp's back and his body began to fall back. Tears flowed down her face as she thought about her step mom being killed by Arlong so many years ago. But now it was happening to her nakama. Goriah watched breathlessly as Usopp's body fell slowly when suddenly one of his legs moved and caught his fall. He started to run full speed at the marine with the impact dial in his hand. Usopp was so fast that the marine had no time to react and as soon as he figured out what was going on Usopp had his impact dial in the man's face. Usopp had a small grin on his face as he began to put pressure on the button of the shell.

He chuckled as blood ran down his face and onto the ground. "I think it's time for YOU to say goodbye!" He said as he pressed the button and the impact dial engaged. It sent out an enormous explosion as the marine's head snapped back and he was sent flying through the wall behind him and into the courtyard of the prison. Usopp sailed down the hallway and into the farthest wall. His body fell from the large indent he had left in the stone and fell limply to the floor.

"USOPP!!" Nami cried as she looked down the hall. She could hear more marines coming as she pleaded with her nakama. "USOPP!!! GET UP!!! PLEASE GET UP!!! YOU CAN'T DIE!!!!" Usopp didn't move. "USOPP!!!!" Suddenly Usopp began to move as he pushed his body up with his arms. He quickly stopped putting pressure on his right arm, which had broken from the impact dial. Blood covered the floor and continued to drip down from his body but he was laughing.

"S-stupid dial… heh!" Nami smiled as she watched her nakama rise from the floor and take a step towards her. " Don't worry… We're getting out of here!" He said weakly as he approached the cells and aimed his dial at the bars again. Goriah and Nami were shocked as he prepared to launch the impact dial again. Goriah shook his head.

"Don't do it you baka!! Your arm will disintegrate if you do that again!" Usopp laughed as he put his left hand over his right arm and pointed the dial at a weak spot in the cell.

"Heh! Doesn't matter now! If I don't, then how are you guys gonna escape?" Nami froze as she heard him say, "you guys", and not "we". Suddenly the dial launched again and the cell wall exploded. Nami shielded her eyes from the debris and then looked through the hole that the dial had created in the cell. She stood from the ground and then saw Usopp lying on the floor in a pool of blood.

"Usopp!!" She rushed over to him and tried to move, but her hands were still cuffed and she couldn't help him. He was unconscious and his body was covered in blood. She could barely hear him breathing as she started to sob. "USOPP!! USOPP!!!" Goriah moved slowly towards her and then heard then marines getting closer.

_This is not good! These two aren't gonna make it out of here!! _Suddenly Usopp started to move again as he looked up at Nami and Goriah. "Guys… get out of here…" Nami shook her head furiously.

"BAKA!! I'M NOT LEAVING YOU HERE!" She screamed as she fought with the cuffs around her hands but they were un-breakable. Tears rolled down her face as she leaned over Usopp's body and rested her head on his shoulder. "I won't leave you! I won't! I-!"

"Nami…" Goriah suddenly stood and looked down the hallway and found that a sword that the marine Usopp had sent flying had was lying on the floor as he ran to pick it up. His hands were also cuffed as he grasped the handle of the blade in his mouth.

"Usopp, right?" Goriah asked as Usopp looked up at him painfully. "Can you move?" Usopp fought with his body until he was able to sit up as Nami balanced him cautiously. "If you carry Nami you can make it out of here. I'll keep the marines busy while you two escape."

"Goriah! No! Don't sacrifice yourself!" Nami cried as he turned and smiled at her.

"This is what I've always wanted. Now I can finally fight the marines like my nakama did to save me. Please, Usopp, don't give up! You saved both of us! Now you both have to live." Suddenly Usopp stumbled to his feet as his boots scratched against the stones on the floor.

"Usopp…" Nami whimpered as Goriah smiled and nodded at Usopp.

"Don't worry… Nami…" Usopp said through a voice that sounded full of pain and exhaustion. "We… as men… as nakama… will protect you!!" Nami gasped as she looked at them before Usopp grabbed her and put her on his back. He held her up, under her legs with his left arm as his right arm hung loosely at his side. It was shattered and bleeding heavily as Nami leaned against Usopp's back.

"Usopp… Goriah!" Nami cried as the two of them nodded to each other and Goriah disappeared up the steps. Usopp ran full speed to hole that had been created by the marine he had sent through the wall as he jumped out and landed with a large thump. Blood spurted onto the ground from Usopp's wounds, as he stood up and continued to run through the courtyard. Usopp pushed himself to go faster as Nami hid her head in his shoulder and listened to multiple gunshots fly by their heads. Usopp dodged them as best he could as some created cuts on his body. Suddenly one of the bullets hit him in the leg as he began to fall to the ground. "Damn…" He whispered as he and Nami fell onto the ground. Nami's head hit the grass hard and created a cut above her eye that started to bleed on impact.

Usopp's body struck the ground with a large crack that came from his chest as his body gave out. "USOPP!!" Nami cried as she crawled over to him. Usopp struggled to stay conscious as he listened to Nami who was sitting over him. "Hang in there Usopp!" Her voice was muffled as Usopp's vision blurred entirely and he coughed up more blood. The loss of blood in his body had finally taken its toll as Usopp laid motion less at Nami's knees. Nami struggled with her cuffs again when suddenly a large militia of marines surrounded them. Nami pushed at Usopp, begging him to get up, but he couldn't move. Nami's tears fell onto the grass, as she wondered if this was it. Usopp mumbled for Nami to run but she refused as she stayed by his side. Nami clenched her fists ready for the marines to fire when a section of the wall surrounding the prison exploded into the air.

**"NAAAAMMMMMIIIII!!!!!!!!!**

**USSSSOOOOOOOPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!"**

Nami looked over to the wall with amazement and saw Luffy and Zoro running through the clouds of debris towards them. "LUFFY!!" Nami cheered as Usopp looked over to see their nakama blowing through the marine forces.

Usopp chuckled, "Heh… Baka… It's *hack*! About time!" and then passed out and rested his head on the ground. Luffy and Zoro quickly demolished the wall of marines that surrounded Usopp and Nami until they were all laying flat on the ground. They dodged the bullets that were coming at them from above before hurrying over to Nami and Usopp. Luffy looked down at Nami with a smile and then looked worriedly at Usopp. He had lost too much blood and Luffy knew that they had to get back to Chopper quickly if he was going to make it. Luffy put Nami on his back as she rested her head on his shoulder, thankfully, as Zoro carefully put Usopp over his shoulder. Zoro clenched his teeth down tightly on his katana as he looked at all of the wounds on Usopp's body and all of the blood that trickled onto the ground.

"We'd better hurry Luffy." Zoro said to the captain as he Luffy nodded in agreement. Luffy held onto Nami's legs tightly as they dashed towards the far side of the prison wall. Nami looked at them with surprise and back to where they had broken in.

"Where are you going Luffy?! Why aren't you going the way you came in?!" Luffy suddenly pulled a den-den mushi from his pocket and pressed the button on the shell.

"Franky!! Are you ready?!" Nami looked around, expecting to see Franky and the others in the prison but couldn't see anyone. The den-den mushi clicked as Franky's voice came from the snail like walky-talky.

"We're all set! Jump out and we'll be there!!" Luffy nodded to Zoro as they picked up speed before jumping over the prison wall where the Sunny Go sailed into the shore. Luffy and Zoro fell through the air down to the ship, as Nami studied the crew on the deck. Chopper and Robin were holding tightly to the ropes from the mast as Franky held the helm. Brook was below, watching them fall but Sanji was nowhere in sight. Nami sighed with relief as she felt her head relax on Luffy's shoulder. She had been saved. Her eyes began to close as she looked over to Usopp lying limp over Zoro's shoulder. Before passing out she whispered, "Arigatou, Usopp… Hang in there."

Everything then went black.

~*~

Nami's eyes opened slowly as she looked up at the ceiling. She was in her bed as she raised her hand to her face and rubbed her eyes. She relaxed her head against the pillow as she looked around the room and studied the familiar scene. She sat up in her bed and looked around as she rubbed her head that was sore. She felt a bandage put across the cut that she had received when she had fallen onto the ground after Usopp collapsed… _Usopp!_ She remembered the incident at the prison as she looked around the room. Suddenly there was a knock on the door as it opened slowly. In the doorway, Sanji held a bowl filled with steaming soup in one hand and a glass of water in the other.

Nami gasped as she looked at his face with a smile. "Sanji-kun!!" Sanji was amazed as he looked at Nami and smiled, almost letting the bowl fall to floor. He caught it quickly before he rushed over to her side and placed the glass and the soup on a nearby table.

"Nami-swan!! Thank god!!" Sanji embraced Nami tightly as she wrapped her arms around him and began to cry.

"I'm so sorry Sanji-kun!! I thought you-!! You got hurt because of me!" Sanji shook his head as he put his hand on her soft hair.

"You have no reason to be sorry Nami-san! If I had been stronger… I could have saved you! None of this would have happened! I'm sorry Nami-san!!" The two held each other as Nami cried into Sanji's shoulder. They broke apart as Sanji rubbed the tears from Nami's face and then grabbed the bowl of soup. "Here. Eat this. You'll feel a little stronger." Nami smiled and took the bowl as she dipped the spoon into the bowl and blew on the liquid. She sipped it carefully and savored the delicious taste of the soup. She sighed happily and then looked back at Sanji.

"It's delicious Sanji. Arigatou…" The thought of Usopp came upon her again as she looked at Sanji. "Usopp! Is he okay?! Where is he?! He's alright isn't he?!" Sanji put his hand on top of Nami's and looked at her solemnly.

"Calm down Nami-san! Usopp is still alive. You don't have to worry about that." Nami sighed with relief as Sanji continued. "When you guys got on the ship Chopper and Robin took you both to the infirmary and patched you up. Chopper had taken care of me before they brought you in. Usopp was knocked out and you had just fallen asleep. Chopper immediately did everything he could to stop Usopp's bleeding and shot him full of pain killers." Sanji looked behind him to the porthole and looked out at the blue sky. "Chopper said he just barely made it. He hasn't woken up since you guys got on the ship which was three days ago." He smiled as he looked back at Nami and put his hand against her cheek. "Thanks to him you're alive… I'm so grateful."

Nami smiled and held his hand against her face. Sanji blushed slightly as he grinned and Nami looked at his body. She could tell that the wounds from the bullets still hurt as he winced, trying to hold back his real pain. "You can go and see him is you want Nami-swan. Right now Chopper is sleeping and the others went onto the island we docked at just the other day. Chopper said that if you woke up and wanted to check on him you could." Nami smiled as she nodded and took the sheets from her legs. She was in a different change of clothes as she left the bed and went around to Sanji. She took his face in her hands and kissed him on the cheek lightly.

"Arigatou, Sanji." She whispered before opening the door and walking out onto the deck. He sat on the edge of her bed quietly and rubbed his neck before taking out a cigarette.

"Baka, Usopp… Arigatou." Nami walked across the deck and up the stairs to the door of the medical bay. She hesitated before pushing, and opening the door quietly. She looked into the room and saw Usopp lying on a large, low to the ground, bed on the floor. His body was wrapped in bandages with small stains of blood showing through the white bandages. Usopp's face was peaceful as Nami entered the room and closed the door behind her. She walked over to the side of the bed and kneeled down on a pillow that Chopper had used as a cushion while he tended to Usopp's wounds. His right arm was in a large cast and his nose was bandaged carefully. His breathing was shallow and slow as Nami fingered the bandages tenderly, on his chest.

Nami couldn't stop thinking about the one marine shooting Usopp through the chest as she tucked her hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry Usopp…" His black hair was lying still on the pillow and his bag, his headband, and his goggles were lying next to the bed. Nami rubbed her hand against his face lightly when she noticed a small object shine against the light in the room. Her eternal pose was strapped around her Clima Tact in Usopp's bag. She stared at them for a moment before getting up quietly and reaching into the bag. She pulled out the Clima Tact from the bag and held it happily. She was afraid that she would never see her weapon or the pose ever again as she sipped the pose from the Clima Tact and strapped it onto her wrist.

She looked at it for a moment when she noticed movement next to her. Usopp groaned quietly as his eyes slowly opened and Nami hurried back over to the pillow on the floor. "Usopp!" Nami said as Usopp blinked and looked up at her face.

"Nami?… Are-are you okay?" Usopp said as he smiled weakly. His voice was quiet and shaky as Nami nodded and rubbed at her eyes.

"I am thanks to you Usopp." Usopp chuckled as he rested his cheek against the pillow and sighed.

"Ah, I didn't do much. Luffy and Zoro---!" Nami put one finger over his lips and stroked the top of his head.

"No, Usopp. If it weren't for you I wouldn't have made it. Luffy and Zoro are baka. Knowing them, it would have taken ages for them to find me. **You** saved me. Arigatou, Usopp." Usopp looked up at her with surprise and then smiled.

"Heh. No problem… Nami…" Usopp's eyes closed slowly as his head rested against Nami's hand. He was still far to weak to carry on a long conversation and fell asleep again. Nami smiled as she leaned forward and kissed him on his lips, as tears fell onto his face.

She whispered, "My hero… Usopp." Before sitting up and smiling down at her nakama. She stood up and grabbed her Clima Tact and moved quietly toward the door. She looked back once more with a smile before closing the door and going out onto the deck of the ship to find Sanji waiting for her and their nakama coming back to the ship. Usopp woke up shortly afterwards and listened to the others as they go back onto the ship. He sighed and smiled when he felt something rub against his wrist. He looked down slowly and found that Nami's Eternal Pose was strapped on his left wrist. He smiled and relaxed as he looked up to the ceiling. _You did well… Captain Usopp._


End file.
